The present invention is directed to building construction products, and in particular to a composite post for such uses such as in porches, decking, and fencing.
Outdoor porches, decks, and fences are extremely popular in residential home construction. Homes and apartments, as well as a variety of other buildings, often incorporate exterior porches, decks, and fences into their design. Additionally, porches, decks, and fences are commonly added onto existing structures and landscapes. These structures provide convenient spaces for a variety of outdoor activities, including cookouts, dining and sunbathing, as well as other leisure activities. Wood products have traditionally been the primary source of materials for use in such decking construction. However, wood products are becoming increasingly scarce due to the harvesting of trees at ever faster rates and the rather limited rate at which timber resources can be replenished. Also, environmental concerns and regulations directed to conservation or preservation of forests tend to restrict the availability of wood products. With the diminishing availability of timber resources, wood products are becoming increasingly expensive. There is, therefore, a substantial need for long lasting substitute construction materials that can lessen the need to harvest timber resources.
One potential approach to addressing the above need is to provide substitute building products made of plastic, rather than wood. However, because the products must be capable of sustaining certain loads, the replacement products need to be stable and rigid. The material should also be capable of economical manufacture, and be relatively inexpensive. It also needs to be easily fabricated and used in the field.
A variety of plastic building products are known. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,045,603 describes a three-layer synthetic construction material made from recycled waste thermoplastic synthetic resin material and cellulose fiber aggregate. This material includes face surfaces consisting essentially of re-hardened fused and rolled thermoplastic synthetic resin material bits, and an intervening core material consisting essentially of a compressed non-homogenous mixture of cellulose aggregate material bits and re-hardened fused thermoplastic synthetic resin material bits.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,764,245 describes an apparatus for producing a light structural board of thermoplastic resin.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,253,458 describes a simulated log made from a cast polyvinylchloride (PVC) pipe, selectively filled with a hard cast foam or bead type foam. This patent further describes that the cast PVC pipe is first manufactured and then subsequently filled with the foam filler.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,626,331 of Erwin relates to a composite spindle for use in a fence or deck railing. The composite spindle includes a plastic outer shell having a first end section, a second end section opposite the first end section, and a middle section therebetween. An elongate metal reinforcing element is positioned within the outer shell and extends from the first end section to the second end section. A rigid plastic foam is disposed within at least a portion of the first and second end sections and substantially surrounds portions of the metal reinforcing element.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,862,642 of Erwin relates to a reinforced composite deck post including an elongate, hollow, extruded plastic shell, with the plastic shell being rectangular in cross-section. The plastic shell has an upper end and a lower end and has a notch formed therein adjacent the lower end for receiving a wood joist of a wood deck. The reinforced composite deck post also includes an elongate metal stiffing member positioned within the plastic shell and rigidly secured thereto near the upper end thereof.
Briefly described, in a preferred form the present invention comprises a post for use in building construction. The post comprises a plastic outer shell having first and second ends and a middle section there between. The composite post further includes a rigid reinforcing member positioned within the plastic outer shell. The rigid reinforcing member extends from the first end to the second end and substantially fills the first and second ends. The first and second ends are rectangular in cross-section and the middle section is bulbous and extends radially outwardly beyond the rectangular first and second ends.
Preferably, the rigid reinforcing member comprises a length of wood snugly fitted within the plastic outer shell and substantially filling the rectangular outer ends of the plastic outer shell.
The middle section of the plastic outer shell can be multi-faceted or it can be curvilinear having a surface of revolution.
The present invention allows for a very strong post. It also allows the post to have the appearance of a large piece of lumber having been turned, but without requiring turning a large piece of wood from one large size to a smaller size. Thus, the present invention conserves precious timber resources.
With this construction, a composite post is provided which is easy to manufacture, which provides excellent appearance, and which provides good strength (both in terms of bending resistance and compression load-carrying capability). The composite post is very weather-resistant owing to its outer cladding protecting the wood within. This composite material represents a good alternative to the use of traditional wood posts.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a composite post which is economical in manufacture and application, durable in construction, and simple.
It is another object of the invention to provide a composite post which has good strength and rigidity for use in fencing and deck railings.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a composite post which, while having the general appearance of a traditional wood item, conserves scarce timber resources and is highly resistant to weathering.
These and other objects, advantages, and features of the present invention will become more apparent upon reading the following specification in conjunction with the accompanying drawing figures.